Meet Kadai Yasen Ahamed, the only Indian rider at MotoGP Bharat

The inaugural MotoGP Bharat will see riders from various nationalities, including Italians, Spaniards, French and more. There was no participation from India until two weeks ago. Now, Chennai-based rider Kadai Yaseen Ahamed received a surprise wildcard for the Moto3 class in the Petronas MIE Racing team. Ahamed, a soft-spoken and reserved individual, was rather overwhelmed after receiving this unexpected opportunity. He expressed his excitement, saying, “Racing in front of my home crowd at the Buddh International Circuit will be a dream come true for me.” The 26-year-old does have all the credentials to be competitive at the Moto3 level. He was crowned the national champion in the ProStock 400 in 2020. He was also very impressive in prestigious championships like the Thailand Superbike 400 series and the Asia Cup Japan. Ahamed’s journey began over a decade ago when he was just 13 years old and raced on the road. His talent was noticed by former national motorcycle racing champion Jagan Kumar who introduced him to professional racing at a track in Chennai. Ahamed in this interview with Times of India said, “He (Jagan) started training me, and as a 15-year-old I started participating in races.” “I got a podium finish in my first year itself. A year later, TVS Racing got me in their team for the national championship. I won my first national title at the age of 17,” he further added. Initially, Ahamed raced and honed his skills at the Madras International Circuit and later practiced at the Marina Kart Arena in Chennai. His performances were very impressive as he bagged multiple national titles and achieved podium finishes in Asian-level championships. In 2022, he was the runner-up at the prestigious Tehran Superbike Championship. He is now taking part in the Indian GP and for him, it is just the beginning. He aims to secure podium finishes in the Moto3 class. Coming from a middle-class family, Ahamed was raised by a single mother in a joint family setup. His mother, Faridha, initially had concerns about the risks of racing but then supported his son right through after his passion and skills became evident. Ahamed now takes care of his family and acknowledges the importance of wearing proper protective gear and maintaining a relaxed mindset during races to minimise risks in motorcycle racing.